Staining wood furniture is not the kind of battle to face unprepared. Fortunately, learning how to stain wood furniture is easy – as long as you follow the staining tips to the letter.
Staining Wood Furniture is Best Done Outside
Wood stain emits fumes that soon permeate your entire home. Whenever possible, take your staining jobs outside onto the patio or into the garage.
Stain Wood Furniture with Protection in Place
Wear disposable gloves, old clothes, and put a drop cloth on the ground. Remember: stain is a permanent affair, and unless you want to read about how to replace carpeting after following these tips for staining wood furniture, it is a good idea to protect your work area and yourself from the furniture stain.
Prepare the Furniture
If you purchased an unfinished piece of furniture, you are ahead of the game. On the other hand, if you picked a beat up piece from the back alley, you need to wait with following tips for staining wood furniture until after you had a chance to clean it, scrape off any paint, and lightly sand it.
Stain Wood Furniture after Conditioning the Wood
I once ruined a perfectly good piece of unfinished wood by applying stain directly to the surface. Learn from my mistake and start your refinishing job with a basecoat of wood conditioner…unless you like that mottled look no amount of doilies can hide.
Shake Your Can
Depending on the kind of wood stain you choose, the pigments may have separated from the mineral spirits that make up the mix, and you must shake the can vigorously to combine the two.
Stain Wood Furniture with Long, Even Strokes
Unlike paint, the stain should be applied with long strokes. It matters little if the initial appearance is a bit blotchy. The goal is to get the stain worked into the wood by first applying it in the direction of the grain and then against it.
Staining Tips for Shade Regulation
If you like to have just a hint of stain, wipe off the stain virtually immediately with a stain containing rag that does not leave lint behind. For a deeper coloring, leave the stain on for a bit. After about three to five minutes, you should have a rich, medium dark color. As the stain remains on the wood, it deepens the hues. Seasoned hobbyists – and those who ruined unfinished wood in the past – suggest the use a piece of practice wood to determine the timing of the shade ahead of time.
How to Stain Wood Furniture: Finish with Finish
A clear coat of finish provides the protection your stain needs to look gorgeous 10 years from now. Do not forget to put it on!
Protect Your Furniture
Clean your stained piece of furniture with proper cleaners and avoid bleach based harsh chemicals that might harm the finish.
How NOT to Stain Wood Furniture
Do not mix and match old stains with new, just because you want to use up the left over cans in the garage. If the stain is too old, it will not properly mix. A giveaway of a ruined stain is the thick membrane on top when the can is opened. Also, do not combine oil based stains with water based mixes.
Source
http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-stain-wooden-furniture4.htm
